By Darlene Brace
In just a few days, you can experience the excitement of the Gerry Rodeo, a time-honored tradition that will be entertaining audiences for four consecutive nights. The rodeo competition will take place at 4351 Route 60 in Gerry from August 5-8, with action starting at 8pm each night. The midway will be open before and after the competition, featuring delicious food, vendors, and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.
The Gerry rodeo has been taking place since 1945, which started as an idea to raise money for Gerry Fire Department. This rodeo has been taking place each year ever since, making this the 81st annual Gerry Rodeo, and it is proudly the oldest consecutive rodeo east of the Mississippi River.
This year, the Gerry Rodeo will be entertaining thousands of fans with thrilling rodeo action featuring approximately 250 cowboys and cowgirls competing for thousands of dollars in prize money. All competitors are quality athletes sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
The competitive events include bareback bronc riding, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping and more. Cowgirls participate in barrel racing and breakaway roping. To heighten the excitement, the rodeo show may also include clowns, trick riding, and animal acts. The rodeo lasts until about 10:30pm each night, offering attendees the opportunity to meet the cowboy and cowgirl competitors, and the clowns after the show, with the chance to get autographs and photos.
The rodeo competition events have remained fairly consistent over the years, but several enhancements have improved the rodeo grounds. These upgrades include the installation of permanent bleachers that can accommodate around 3,500 people, new lighting, and new fencing. Additionally, a large stadium TV was added to show replays and close-ups of the action.
Another highlight of going to the rodeo, is the delicious barbecue beef dinners that are still serving. The beef is slow cooked for hours with a special secret barbecue sauce. Meals also include salad, potatoes, corn, a beverage, and ice cream for dessert. The old dining hall has been enlarged and renovated, allowing visitors to enjoy their meals in the comfort of air conditioning.
When you approach the rodeo grounds, you will enter the midway, which is located outside the rodeo competition area. The midway opens at 5pm each night, and there is no admission fee for entering. Even if you don’t want to attend the actual rodeo show, you can stroll through the midway grounds. It features more than twenty booths offering a variety of goods, that may include western wear, crafts, jewelry, and souvenirs to name a few. The midway also has food vendors selling specialty treats like fried dough, taffy, candy apples, cotton candy, and more.
There are also fun activities and games for kids and for those young at heart to enjoy, as well as sand art, pony rides, and face painting. As a special activity for children, there will be a free Kids Rodeo at 4pm on Saturday with registration starting at 3pm. Kids aged 3-8 years can compete in rodeo-related games. All the proceeds of the Gerry Rodeo go directly to support the Gerry Volunteer Fire Department, serving as the fire department’s only fundraiser throughout the year. This support enables the fire department to respond to over three hundred calls each year, allowing them to continue to provide these vital services to the community. So, bring your family out to the historic Gerry Rodeo that has stood the test of time and has been entertaining the crowds for 81 years The rodeo promises thrilling competition, as well as entertainment from the comedic clowns. You can also enjoy a delicious barbeque beef dinner and partake in the fun of the midway, filled with tasty treats and activities for the whole family. You can purchase the rodeo show and dinner tickets ahead of time at tickets.gerryrodeo.org. There will also be limited tickets that you can purchase at the gate each night, but Friday and Saturday often sell out. For more information, visit gerryrodeo.org or you can also check out the Gerry Rodeo Facebook page for updates and additional details.